Darkness Reborn

Here I bring you the next chapter of my story, and I do not mean to spoil anything, but were are more than half-way through the story. It may not have as many chapters as the last story, but it sure had more words.

Anyway, enjoy the chapter. I got it out much earlier than I expected.

The following day, once the Angelus had recovered, she called a meeting just outside of the underground hideout. Despite them being in a world with nothing but darkness and evil, there were no dark macaws around, and it looked safe to go outside...For now anyway.

Everyone stood in a circle around the Angelus (except for Jewel, who was being carried in Rico's wings). The Angelus had decided to announce their next plan of action while Blu stood beside her. "Everyone, as you are aware, Nexus has returned, and he is more powerful than ever. We have to stop him now before he finds the ancient scroll."

Blu arched an eyebrow as he heard the word "scroll" once again. This had been confusing him ever since he first heard Nexus announce it. What was this scroll exactly, and what would Nexus want with it? "Your Majesty if I may ask, what is this scroll you speak of?"

The Angelus sighed as she closed her eyes for a second before looking up to the full moon of the World of Darkness. She turned back to the others, who were waiting patiently for her to answer. "The ancient scroll holds the souls of every one of Nexus's ancestors. If he gets it, then all hope is lost. He will truly be immortal."

The Angelus paused for a moment when she could see everyone with confused expressions, thinking it was almost impossible for a scroll to hold so many souls. She took a deep breath, knowing she was going to have to do some explaining so everyone further understood. "Let me explain: during the creation of the universe, Nexus and I were the first every specious of birds to be created. I was a light macaw while he was a dark macaw. We were both gifted with the powers of the Angelus and the Darkness. To gain them, we were both sent to both World of Light and Darkness to receive our gifts. I got my wish, but as for Nexus, he did not make it in time. Someone-a blue macaw to be precise-had taken the Darkness for himself by accident."

Blu gasped silently for a moment as he placed his wing to his beak. He knew one-hundred fact that the first Darkness host was his great grandfather, the first every male blue macaw to exist. "My grandfather. He was the one who took its powers."

"Because of this, Nexus was enraged and was willing to destroy anyone and anything to get what he wants, which is what happened to me. And because of this, I was forced to leave my real body after it was destroyed and was forced to need a host, which had to be a female blue macaw since the males had the Darkness." the Angelus continued, now giving some explanation to why she kidnapped Jewel in the first place and used her as a host all those years ago. "Nexus wanted the Darkness, so to avoid death; he took over every single one of his family's body's to cheat death. He went around the entire universe, hunting down and killing every last male macaw there was...One hundred years ago, the many souls of his ancestors were trapped in the ancient scroll, and Nexus swore he would use this one day to his advantage. However, I managed to find it and hide it in Rio de Janeiro somewhere. He and I eventually tracked both of you two." the Angelus gestured her wings to Blu and Jewel. "And we both needed you. I needed Jewel for a host, and he needed Blu to take the Darkness from him...This is why he is so desperate to get you both, because he fears blue macaws will be his end."

Blu was in shock for a moment as he felt like his talons were about to give in. He now understood why Nexus had hunted down his kind and killed everyone single one of them, including his parents. He did just to get the Darkness back. "I...I understand now...This is why he killed my mom and dad that day..."

Jewel looked towards her husband for a moment, shredding a tear from her eye as she could not imagine how he was feeling right now. Sure, she may have lost her family too, but Blu never even got the chance to know his.

However, there was still a question that Blu needed to know, and the only one who could tell him this was no other than the Angelus. "Your Majesty...How is it Nexus returned? I thought we killed him during the battle of Rio."

"So did I, Blu." the Angelus admitted, looking towards the sky for a moment as she took her memory back to that door. "After the battle, before we returned back to my World, I discovered Nexus's body was healing. As you know, the Darkness would never allow its host to die. I had to do something, and I knew taking him down was impossible. Before he fully healed, I ordered my men to take him back to the World of Light. We locked him inside these special restraints to keep him contained. He was contained, until Vadin had broken him free a little while ago...I wish I could have prevented all this..."

The Angelus looked towards Blu with an apologetic expression on her face. She placed her right wing onto his shoulder for a moment in a sort of comforting way. "I'm sorry, Blu. I wish I could have stopped it."

"There is still time."

Everyone jumped in shock as a mysterious figure had jumped down from a nearby tree, standing only a couple of feet away. The others were about to jump in and attack, but the Angelus had placed her wing out to them, stopping them in their tracks. The mysterious figure who had joined them was wearing silver accented armor across his body and wings, two metal wrist gauntlets just above his wingtips, wearing a belt across his waist and a sword holder belt across his chest to hold a sword on his back. And to top it all off, he was wearing red hood followed by a red mask around his head and face, covering his identity up completely apart from his eyes.

"No, he is not an enemy. He is an ally." the Angelus assured them, turning her attention back to the mysterious figure who knelt down to the Angelus in respect as he took her right wing in his left wing. "Hello Drako."

"It is great to see you again, your Highness." Drako greeted, standing back up to full height for a moment as he looked towards Blu, who was looking both shocked and surprised as he placed his wings to his sides. "Blu..."

"It's you." Blu said in shock, remembering this mysterious figure he had met a while ago when he was in the alternative world controlled by Captain Lenny.

Flashback

Blu finally made it to the Christ the Redeemer statue and flew towards the very top of the statue and perched himself down onto the Christ the Redeemer's head. He placed both his wings to his sides while patiently waiting the mysterious watcher to appear (if his calculations were correct of course). "So...Here I am...Waiting...And standing on Jesus' head."

Before long, the sound of flapping shot through Blu's eardrums, and he turned around and lucky for him, he was correct. The mysterious watcher had appeared once again for the fifth time before he performed a barrel-roll across the statue's arm and landed perfectly down a couple of feet away from Blu.

Still with his mask over his face with only his eyes showing, the mysterious watcher spoke to Blu when he had his full attention to him. "I knew you would find me, Blu."

"You did leave me a riddle, remember?" Blu reminded with his wings folded, before he got serious and demanded to know who he was, why he was following him, and what he wanted? "Who are you? What do you want? Why are you watching me?"

"We have been giving many names, but you will come to know me as Drako." the mysterious watcher answered, revealing one of his many names to be Drako for Blu to know his name. "I am the loyal servant of the Sacred Order of Rio."

"Just what I need. Another secret sacred order." Blu thought to himself while rolling around his eyeballs, remembering the first sacred order he met which was Vadin and his brotherhood members. But for now, it was time for find out what Drako wanted. "So, you're a part of Sacred Order. What does that have to do with me?"

"I bring a message to you, Blu." Drako replied, before he began to warn Blu of a very important prophecy that may come true. "Dark days are coming, Blu. The prophecy is coming true. You are the warrior that will defeat the King and restore order through Rio. You are the one who will save the day, and if you don't, fires will rage, Rio will die, your loved ones will die, and you will die too."

Blu's expression changed and his head hung low, not believing that if he did not stop Lenny soon, all of Rio would be destroyed. "I...I don't believe it..."

"Believe what you will, Blu." Drako said, pulling out another smoke pellet from the belt he was wearing, preparing to vanish away once again. "The message has been delivered, and we will meet again one day, Blu."

The mysterious watcher threw his smoke pellet onto the ground, sending a wave of smoke for him to disappear out of plain sight.

After the smoke had cleared after a few seconds, Blu saw the mysterious watcher had vanished. But the important thing was that he understood what needed to be done, and if he did not do this soon, everyone and everything that he loved would be destroyed.

"I'm...I'm part of a prophecy. I don't...I don't believe it." Blu talked to himself while he looked down towards the ground below where he spotted multiple military macaws down below. "I...I know what needs to be done...I have to confront Lenny and finish this once and for all!"

Present time

Blu dazed out from his thoughts as Drako pulled out some sort of rolled-up paper from his belt. He did not expect him to be real, and thought everyone in that world were not real except for him and Lenny. "Drako?"

"You know him, Blu?" Jewel inquired, her too shocked as she remembered this was the same mysterious figure who had warned her not too long ago.

"I see you both remember me." Drako replied, taking his scroll out as he prepared to unfold it and read it out to them.

"Both?" Blu and Jewel said simultaneously, looking at each other for a moment in confusion, both surprised that they knew the same person.

"Yes." Drako answered, taking out his sword for a moment where he began carving something on a nearby tree that one of them would recognize. "Blu and I met in an alternative dream world, and after that, I was aware of the danger ahead and needed one of you to keep a secret. I was suspected Blu would not wait, so I needed to tell someone who could keep a secret, and that was you, Jewel."

Jewel looked back towards her husband for a moment while she now finally understood why Drako had come to her that night. "I understand now. You told me Darkness was going to be reborn because Nexus would return. Couldn't you have just told me that?"

"To act too soon may seal your fate." Drako answered, unfolding the paper he had while he looked back towards the Angelus for a moment. "Your Majesty, if I may, I think it is time."

The Angelus nodded in agreement, agreeing with him completely. "Go ahead, Drako."

Drako nodded to his Queen in respect before he opened up the scroll where he began reading out its contents to them. He did not even need to look at them to know he had their full attention.

From Darkness reach which conquers all
Destroy the one who shall not fall
Five birds in one, will be the key
Shall save the world and set it free

One is yellow and so bright
He loves to party every night
The next is white, with hint of red
He has recently risen from the dead
The third is black, and does not seem to do much thinking
He is predator yet friend, and loves to go out drinking
The fourth is beautiful yet feisty but no very smart
She fell for a bird in who was clumsy yet had a kind heart
The last is with the color blue and was once sent away
However, he is intelligent, strong and will help save the day

When together, friends for all
Then and only then will darkness fall.

Drako finished reading and rolled the paper back up and placed it into his pocket. He moved aside where he revealed he had carved the shape of a feather into the tree with his sword (the same symbol Jewel had saw back in Rio). "That was the prophecy."

Before long, Drako had bidden everyone farewell and goodbye before he dropped some smoke pellets, disappearing himself out from plane sight. After he was gone, the others moved a little closer towards the symbol.

"I...I don't think I understand what that means." Jewel replied, completely confused to what those strange words meant.

"I think I do." Blu said, approaching the symbol of the tree while he thought to himself about the words that Drako had just read out. "Hmmm, loves to party...Risen from the dead...Loves to go out drinking...Beautiful yet feisty...Save the day." Blu paused for a moment as huge smile rose on his beak, thinking that he got the answer. "I got it! I know what it means!"

"You do?" older Blu inquired, not being able to figure it out himself despite his other self being almost the exact same as him.

"Yep." Blu answered, turning his attention back towards Nico and Pedro, who both stood together with confused faces. "One is yellow and so bright; he loves to party every night. Nico, you're yellow, bright, and pretty much party often. The next is white, with hint of red; he has recently risen from the dead. Pedro, you're white with red, and you came back when we thought you were dead!"

"You mean we're going to be heroes?" Pedro said to Nico, before they both laughed and high-fived each other.

"Alright!" Nico whooped, as he and Pedro belly-bounced each other.

Blu ignored the duo as he continued to explain to the others who were part of this prophecy. "The third is black, and does not seem to do much thinking, he is predatory yet friend, and loves to go out drinking, Rico, you have black feathers and you love to drink!"

"Awww, well, I suppose I do." Rico admitted, rubbing the back of his head for a moment while he looked towards the others. "Anyone here go anything to drink?"

"The fourth is beautiful yet feisty and not so smart, she fell for a bird in who was clumsy yet had a kind heart, that's you, Jewel! You're beautiful and you fell for me, remember?" Blu said to his beloved wife, who had been sat down nearby a tree with her children around her.

"I'm part of prophecy." Jewel thought to herself, surprised about this since she had not really done any that useful ever since all this first started. "I...I don't believe it."

"The last is with the color blue and was once sent away; however, he is intelligent, strong and will help save the day. That's me!" Blu finished, placing his wing towards the others while he had to admit that he was kind of proud of himself. "It's us five. We're the ones who will save the day."

"Great!" Nico whooped, before realizing a slight problem. "Now...How do we get these powers, exactly?"

"By touching the symbol, of course." the Angelus answered like it was obvious as she placed her wing to her hip. "Now, I do not think we should waste more time. You five are the heroes who will save us."

Four of them nodded in agreement until Jewel had spoken up from where she was sitting. She attempted to lean up but found she could hardly move so she was picked up by the medic macaw.

She called out to her husband while groaning slightly, feeling a slight bit of pain in her talons. "Blu, you know I want to help, but I can't...In my condition, I'm not fit for combat...I'm sorry."

Blu watched in sadness as he took his wife's wing in both of his. He was saddened by this, knowing that if all of them were not here, then it would truly be over once and for all. "Jewel...I understand...You can't do it..."

"But I can."

Blu lifted his head for a moment where he saw older Jewel had stepped up. He was shocked that someone who was an opposite self to his wife and from a different world was willing to step up and take Jewel's place.

Older Blu did not agree with this and he quickly ran towards his wife and placed his wings upon her shoulders, turning her around to face him. "Jewel, you can't...You don't even know if it will work..."

"I have to try." older Jewel assured him, leaning forward where she planted a peck onto his beak, assuring him that this was going to work out fine. She walked away from her husband and approached Blu, who gave her a supportive nod.

"Thank you." Blu thanked, raising a smile across his beak as Nico and Pedro stood to his right while Rico and older Jewel stood to his left. "I promise, when this is all over, I'll get you and your Blu back to your own world."

Older Jewel nodded in agreement before they all faced the Angelus, knowing it was time for action. The Angelus gave each of them a supportive nod before moving side for them.

Blu, older Jewel, Nico, Pedro, and Rico; the five heroes who were going to help save this day all approached the symbol of the tree together, walking in a perfect lines. As soon as they stood in front of it, each one of them placed their right wings against the tree, closing their eyes to help them concentrate better.

The five remained silent as they could feel something passing thought he symbol of the tree pass inside of them. The others merely watched (except for Rafael, who had no clue what was going on) and could only hope this worked.

After an entire minute had passed, the five opened their eyes as they took their wings off from the tree and placed them to their sides while moving towards the open area they were in. The only one who looked different was Blu.

Blu looked to his wings where he discovered all of his light essence powers had returned to him. He smiled as he touched his face for a moment, seeing the tattoo across his face had also returned to him. He also discovered he still had the powers he had gained from the alternative world just by feeling them inside of him. Now he was even more powerful than before.

As for the others, they too checked their powers. Older Jewel leaned out her wing where she discovered her wing stretched far behind the size of any bird. Her power must be the ability to stretch any part of her body.

"Wow..." older Jewel trailed off as she leaned up and stretched her body at incredible feet. "This is amazing! Look at me, Blu!"

"That is quite amazing." older Blu admitting, but at the same time was confused if he should be impressed or find this strange.

Blu smiled as he looked towards the others, who were testing out their powers too. He was shocked as he discovered Nico had the ability to run at incredible speeds.

The canary laughed as he ran circles around his best friend, having to hold onto his bottle-cap so it did not fall off while he ran. "Ha-ha, this is awesome!"

Pedro was the next to look at his power. He discovered he had the ability to turn every part of his body into steel metal, making his eyes look white in the process. "Cool, look at me! I'm metal man!"

"Is that what you're going to call yourself?" Nico inquired, stopping for a moment, not seeming to be out of breath at all. He had to admit he did not like the nickname.

Blu continued to watch the others as he smiled and folded his wings together around his chest. His smile soon dropped as he discovered Rico was on fire! "Rico!"

"I'm on fire, I'm on fire!" Rico panicked, attempting to put it out by slapping himself with his wings. His entire body was on fire, his feathers were now glowing in flames, and his eyes had turned white. But he discovered he was not feeling any pain. "Wait a minute? I'm not burning."

"You seem to have the powers of fire." the Angelus explained, examining the hawk as he looked towards his wings that were now setting with a flame color. "You must be careful though, Rico. You have a power gift: the penance stare."

"Which is?" Rico inquired, not having a clue what she was talking about.

"You can look people in their eyes and burn their souls, making them feel every pain they ever experienced and every pain they ever caused to others." the Angelus explained, crossing her wings together as she looked off towards the moon. "You must be careful. You have a powerful gift, use it wisely."

"Sure will." Rico assured, but that turned out to be a lie as he fired a bit of flame towards Pedro, knowing it would not hurt him because of his power.

"Hey, what if I wasn't in metal form, then?!" Pedro inquired, tapping his talon as he placed both of his wings to the side of his belly.

"Then I wouldn't have done it." Rico replied, smirking as he learned to turn his power off that turned him back into his normal form. "This is pretty awesome though."

This was it. The five of them now had powers of their own to use for granted, and with these gifts, maybe they could finally bring down Nexus once and for all. It was not going to be easy, and if Nexus was to get this scroll they speak off, and then it would be over. Rio de Janeiro, the World of Light. All would be destroyed, just like Drako said.

A little while late, the five heroes were bidding everyone goodbye. There was no promise that they were going to come back from this in one peace, but for the sake of everyone and everything they loved, they had to try.

Blu had just finished hugging his wife, who was sat down in one of the couches inside the hideout. He looked into her eyes while smiling with a tear rolling down his cheek, fearing this may be the last time he sees her. "Take care of yourself, Jewel."

"It's you who I'm worried about." Jewel replied, lifting her free wing up to the back of his head before both of them shared a romantic kiss for a couple of seconds. She looked into her husband's eyes, crying slightly from her eyes. "Promise me you will be okay, Blu."

Blu could not promise this. He may have faced off against Nexus before in the past and many other villains, but now Nexus was more powerful than before. "I can't make any promises, Jewel. But I can say that I love you, and I will always be with you, no matter what."

Jewel nodded slightly with a smile while tears continued to drop down her face. She watched as her husband hugged his four children. Jewel tried her tears while her kids came over to her and hugged her stomach, and in return, she hugged them with her wings.

Before long, everyone else had bidden their loved ones goodbye. The five soon had to leave; knowing if they waited any longer could risk Nexus finding the scroll quicker. The Angelus did want to help them to, but without any light, she had no powers, meaning she was vulnerable at this point.

Blu, older Jewel, Nico, Pedro, and Rico exited the hideout as they faced towards the direction to the World of Darkness.

Blu looked towards the older version of his wife just to check if she was going to be fine. "How you feeling?"

"I'm a little nervous." older Jewel admitted, stretching her wings out a few feet long by accident. "But for the sake of the world, this needs to be done."

"That's what I like to hear." Blu replied smiling, turning his attention back towards the wooden forest as he extended his wings, preparing to fly as fast as he could. "Let's go, everyone. The fate of Rio rests in our wings."

Blu, older Jewel, Nico, Pedro, and Rico are the five heroes who will save the day. I hope all of you liked this chapter, and now we have some explanation to how Nexus survived, and to why he did not have the Darkness long ago. Now the five birds are making their way to the castle, preparing to finish this battle that had began long ago.